1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an aircraft simulator, and more particularly, to a system and method for trouble shooting and controlling signals coming from or going to the aircraft simulator.
2. Background Information
Flight simulators are used to try and replicate, or simulate, the experience of flying an airplane as closely and realistically as possible. Flight simulators are extensively used by the aviation industry and the military for pilot training. Most modern flight simulators are not used so much as to train pilots on how to fly aircraft as they are to familiarize flight crews in normal and emergency operating procedures. Using simulators, pilots are able to train for situations that they are unable to safely do in actual aircraft. These situations include, but are not limited to, loss of flight surfaces and complete power loss.
There are many different types of flight simulators. Flight simulators range from the common video game that may be bought at a local electronic store to small enclosures built to replica the inside of a cockpit. More complex flight simulators include full-size cockpit replicas mounted on hydraulic (or electromechanical) actuators, controlled by state of the art computer technology.
In complex flight simulators, simulator technicians have no way of troubleshooting and temporarily fixing a faulty condition on the simulator other than a destructive action such as cutting a wire or disconnecting a cable which may impact other functions. For example, the technician has no way of temporarily fixing a faulty ejection handle switch. The simulator will be in a crashed/ejected condition and therefore will be unusable until the technician can pull the seat and fix the ejection handle switch.
Currently the troubleshooting of digital signals on flight simulators is difficult since there is not any access to the signals that allow for measurement. Technicians presently have no method of viewing/controlling signals in real time operation due to the location of the controls and where the measurements are taken.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method that overcomes the above problems. The system and method must be able to trouble shooting and controlling signals coming from or going to the aircraft simulator.